Air-compressor



(No Medel.) v 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

S J. H. PENDLETON.

' I AIR COMPRESSOR.

N0. 56 1,126. Patented June 2, 1896.

INVENTOR: 3d\xm'kl:?ema\z on M MVMZZV WITNESSES:

ANDREW BLRAMAM. PHOIO-UTHQWASHINGTON. D C

4 Sheetg-Sheat 2.

(No Model.\ P

. J. H. PENDLETON.

. AIR GOMPRESSOR. No. 561,126. I PatentedJune 2, 1896.

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INVENTORZ M W I BY ATTORNEY WITNESSES:

' (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3;

j J; H. P-ENDLETON.

AIR GOMPRESSOR.

No. 561,126. Patented June 2, 1896.

WITNESSES: mvamon: MWMM g z ATTORNEY.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

J. H. PENDLETON.

AIR COMPRESSOR.

WITNESSES I I INVENTORZ /a A sckmRyemliem',

ATTORNEY.

UNITED STATES PATENT ,FFICE.

JOHN H. PENDLETON, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

AIR-COMPRESSOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 561,126, dated June 2, 1896. 'Application filed November 20, 1893. fierial No. 491,435. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN H. PENDLETON, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Air- Oompressors, of which the following is a specification.

' sure higher than that heretofore obtained by with gas and liquid inlets.

ordinary centrifugal blowers.

It consists, essentially in combining, in an air-compressor, a closed vessel containing liquid, a revolving wheel provided with a central inlet and with peripheral outlets, means for alternately shutting off and reestablishin g the liquid supply to the wheel, and a dischargeopening for compressed gas.

The nature of my said invention will best be understood when described in connection with the annexed sheets of drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents asectional elevation of a simple form of compressor constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the compressor and air and water receiver, drawn to a smaller scale. Fig. 3 is a plan or top view of Fig. 1, part being broken away. Figs. 4 and 5 are sectional elevations of different forms of compressors provided Fig. 6 is a hori zontal section on the line 6 6, Fig. 5. Fig. 6 is a detail section of a modified arrangement of the air-nozzles. Fig.7 is an elevation of the compressor shown in Fig. 4 connected wi th the receiver.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

In describing the apparatus I shall refer for convenience to the compression of atmospheric air by a Wheel wholly or partly submerged in water. However, it is evident that other gas can be similarly compressed and that any other suitable liquid may be substituted for water.

Referring at present to Figs. 1, 2, and 3 of the drawings, the letter A. designates a closed vessel containing the water. B is a submerged vortex-wheel mounted on a vertical shaft 0,

passing through a stuffing-box b and driven by the pulley D. The wheel is provided with a central air-inlet c, communicating with the atmospheric air through the supply-pipe CL, and with peripheral outlets (Z at the ends of its hollow arms d. The air-supply pipe a is provided with a suitable inwardly-opening valve 6. To prevent the water from whirling with the revolutions of the wheel, radial partitions fare placed within the vessel, preferably so shaped as to surround the wheel as far as possible. The hollow arms of the wheel are bent round to discharge the air tangentially backward and the wheel revolved in a direction to cause the outlets to recede from the water. E is the discharge-pipe for compressed air, which leads from the chamber A, preferably above the level of the water, and F H are circulating-pipes leading to a cooler of any suitable construction. In Fig. 2 I have shown a receiver G, containing water in its lower portion, with which the pipes F H are connected, the lower part of the receiver then forming axcooler, while its upper portion serves as a reservoir for the compressed air and also as a cooler for the air.

In the practical operation of the machine a suificiently high speed of rotation is imparted to the wheel to cause the outlets d to recede from the water at a rate at which the water cannot immediately follow. A gap is thus formed behind each outlet, which is filled with air at atmospheric pressure, or slightly above the same, drawn through the inlet 0. The water closes about, cuts off, and confines this air, which on its ascent to the chamber A through the water is compressed. The degree of compression will depend on the velocity with which the outlets move.

While in the preceding example I have shown the wheel adapted to receive air only, both air and water may be supplied to the same for the purpose of increasing the efficiency of the compressor by taking advantage of the action of centrifugal force. A compressor of this character I have illustrated in Figs. 4 and 7, where w is the water-supply pipe and a the air-supply pipe conducting to a casing g, into which the water-nozzle 20 projects after passing through a suitable stuifing-box g. h is a stationary mixing-pipe communicating with the central air-inlet c of the wheel B. i is a check-valve placed in the air-supply pipe a. A suitable valve j, Fig. 7, is placed in the water-supply pipe to enable the admission of waterto be regulated. The water used for compression may be drawn directly from the vessel, or, as shown in Fig. 7 it may be drawn from the receiver G, the pipe to being carried downwardly within the same. The discharge-pipe E for compressed air is, as before, connected with the receiver above the water-level, and the circulatingpipe F is connected below the water-1evel. t is a vertical pipe connecting pipes 10 and F and provided with a valve m normally closed. 3y closing valve j and opening valve m the supply of water is shut oil? and the wheel runs with air only. It will be noticed that this manner of conducting water to the wheel insures a good circulation of the water. 10* is a pipe for introducing water into the apparatus.

In the form shown in Figs. 5 and l the compressor is constructed to take air and water alternately. Referring to said figures, c c are nozzles projecting into the hollow arms (Z of the wheel I and receiving air through the hollow shaft C, driven by pulley D. The arms open downwardly through the body of the wheel, as at n, and beneath the openings and adapted to substantially close the same to the ingress of water, or, at least, to greatly contract said openings, are arranged stationary projections 91.. Consequently in the rotation of the wheel the arms (1 can take their natural supply of water only during the passsage between the projections. During this time the natural quantity of air is drawn in. If desired, the projections could be made adjustable toward and from the openings. In this construction the outlets d of the wheel need not necessarily be submerged, since the compression and propulsion of air are effected between bodies of water in the arms.

In wheels of this character, whether wholly or partly submerged and with or without an interrupted or alternated supply of water an d air, the air-nozzles c are, as I have determined by experiment, best made to extend to or nearly to the discharge-openin gs d, as shown in Fig. (3. The end of each arm is in this case contracted and expanded to form a throat d to increase the suction.

\Vhile in general I have shown the wheel as regards construction to be similar to a reaction-wheel, it is evident that other types of wheels could be substituted; also, that any other usual means for cooling the liquid may be adopted in place of those shown, and also other known means could be employed for alternately supplying air or water to the inlet of the wheel.

\Vhat I claim as new is- 1. In a compressor, the combination of a closed vessel containing liquid, a revolving wheel provided with a central inlet and with peripheral outlets, means for alternately shuting off and reestablishing the liquid supply to the wheel, and a discharge-opening for compressed gas, substantially as described.

2. In a compressor, the combination of a closed vessel containing liquid, a revolving wheel provided with a central inlet, diseharge-passages in the wheel communicating with the liquid, gas-nozzles located within said discharge-passages and communicating with the gas supply, and a discharge-opening for compressed gas, substantially as described.

3. In a compressor, the combination of a closed vessel containing liquid, a wheel provided with a central inletand one or more peripheral outlets for gas, a discharge-opening in the vessel for compressed gas, a cooler, and connections with the vessel for establishing a circulation of the liquid therein, substantially as described.

4. In a compressor, the combination of a closed vessel containing liquid, a wheel provided with a central inlet and one or more peripheral outlets for gas, a rceeivcrfor compressed air, a connection between the vessel and said receiver, and a cooler, substantially as described.

5. In a compressor, the combination of a closed vessel containing liquid, a wheel pro vided with a central inlet and one or more peripheral outlets for gas, a receiver in communication with the liquid of the closed vessel, for establishing circulation, and a discharge-opening for the gas connected with the receiver, substantially as described.

45. In a compressor, the combination of a closed vessel containing liquid, a wheel provided with radial hollow arms opening downwardly through the body of the same, gasinlet nozzles communicating with said arms, projections arranged opposite the downward openings of the arms. and a discharge-opening in the vessel for compressed gas, substantially as described.

7. In a compressor, a revolving wheel provided with central inlets for gas and liquid, a series of gas-nozzles 0' within the arms of the wheel and projecting to, or near to, the outer ends of the same, said arms terminating in throats, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as myinvention I have signed my name, in pres ence of two witnesses, this l-th day of November, 1893.

JOHN ll. PENDLE'ION.

Witnesses:

KLAS ll. TERNSTEDT, J. J. MALLE.

IIO 

